Login security with short messaging

ABSTRACT

Additional security is provided for on-line account users beyond that which is otherwise conventionally provided by, e.g., longer passwords, passwords that include both characters and numbers, etc., by implementing an on-line server that notifies a pre-registered account holder via a short messaging system (SMS) with a short message login notification when a log-in (or even just a login attempt) occurs. Thus, even entry of the proper user/password information, which would conventionally be presumed to be authorized, will be notified to the registered SM address of the authorized user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to wireless telecommunication. More particularly, it relates to short messaging use as a security tool.

2. Background of the Related Art

Current on-line accounts rely on a strong password to prevent intruders from gaining access to an account. Some passwords require that they include both numbers and letters, and/or some require that they be of at least a given number of characters, e.g., at least 8 characters long, all to improve security, although that makes a password more difficult to recall. To assist, in the event of a forgotten password, a user may request that their password be sent to an email address registered when the account was initialized.

However, in the event that a proper password IS entered by an apparent user, conventional on-line account systems presume that the user is authorized. In this event, an unauthorized intruder into an on-line account may have hours to ‘play’ with the account, and may even be able to repeatedly return to the online account before the breach has been noticed and the password changed by a user of the online account.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a login module for an on-line server comprises a user/password authenticator to receive a user/password request including a user ID and a password, to authenticate access to an on-line account associated with the on-line server. A short message login notifier generates a short message login notification message informing a user of receipt of the user/password request. A short message router transmits the short message login notification message to a pre-registered short message address via a short message servicing center (SMSC).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary on-line account server including a login module that generates a short message login notification upon detection of a login or login attempt, and an on-line account lock-down module, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary process of sending a short message login notification upon detection of a login or login attempt, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary process of permitting on-line account access only after receipt of a short message reply to the short message login notification, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides additional security applied to on-line accounts to that otherwise conventionally provided by, e.g., longer passwords, passwords that include both characters and numbers, etc., by implementing an on-line server that notifies a pre-registered account holder via a short messaging system (SMS) with a short message login notification when a log-in (or even just a login attempt) occurs. Thus, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, even entry of the proper user/password information, which would conventionally be presumed to be authorized, will be notified to the registered SM address of the authorized user.

The present inventor has appreciated that an online account holder may likely be unaware of an intrusion into their account when the unauthorized user knows, guesses, or otherwise discovers and uses the correct password. Such an unknowing user may be in the dark until they log-in and happen to discover at that later time any damage done to the account. Some damage (such as information gleaned to be used for identity fraud or the like) may not be known at all, or at least not until a much later time.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the amount of time that an unauthorized intruder is allowed to access a breached on-line account, if at all, is minimized. Accordingly any benefit or profit to the intruder is minimized, as is the amount of damage to the true on-line account holder.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary on-line account server including a login module that generates a short message login notification upon detection of a login or login attempt, and an on-line account lock-down module, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, a user is presumed to be away from an on-line account, but accessible to a short messaging device 105, serviced via a short message servicing center 109 of an appropriate service provider who has access to the Internet 101. An intruder at a computer 107 or other device in communication with the Internet 101 accesses an on-line account serviced by an on-line account server 100. However, importantly, the on-line account server 100 includes a login module 112 that includes at least a short message login notifier 110, and optionally an account lock-down module 210.

The present inventor has appreciated that short messaging is very quick, often even quicker than email, particularly in the way that it is presented to the user. Many phones are set to vibrate and/or let out a short audio burst upon receipt of a short message, notifying the user quickly. Email is a more passive system occasionally logged in and checked by a user. Even a push email system such as that provided by Blackberry™ devices pushes on a periodic basis (e.g., every 15 minutes), allowing precious minutes to pass while an intruder explores a user's on-line account. Many on-line accounts can be compromised in under a minute or just a few minutes, particularly to an experienced hacker.

A full understanding of the operation of the short message login notifier 110 and account lock-down module 210 will be gleaned from a description of their preferred operation. To this end, FIG. 2 shows an exemplary process of sending a short message login notification upon detection of a login or login attempt, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In particular, as shown in step 302 of FIG. 2, a login or login attempt is detected in an on-line account of a user.

In step 304, the preferred short message address for the user pre-registered and associated with the relevant on-line account being logged into is obtained.

In step 306, a suitable short message login notification is generated.

In step 308, the generated short message login notification is transmitted.

Short message notification to a registered SM address upon a proper login empowers a user to affect an immediate lock-down of the accessed on-line account if necessary should the long-in be unauthorized or otherwise improper.

The short message may simply notify the user of a proper login into their on-line account, or additional information may be included, e.g., time of day, number of login attempts, etc.

In most cases, the SM address will be the phone number of the authorized user.

In this way the proper on-line account holder is notified quickly about the login, and thus is empowered to quickly respond to an unauthorized access to their on-line account.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary process of permitting on-line account access only after receipt of a short message reply to the short message login notification, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In particular, as shown in an additional embodiment of FIG. 3, an acknowledgement procedure may be required by a return short message from the registered user permitting access to the on-line account to continue. Access to the on-line account may be held until the acknowledgement is received. However, to provide a more seamless user experience, the access to the on-line account may be permitted immediately upon a proper login, but may be subject to cessation after a given amount of time should a return short message acknowledgement not be received from the user after a given period of time, e.g., after 1 minute.

Step 402 optionally follows from step 308 of FIG. 2. In step 402 of FIG. 3, a short message reply to the received short message login notification is received from the registered user. The procedure preferably loops until a short message reply is received (with an appropriate time out as desired by the system operator).

Upon receipt of a short message reply, as depicted in step 404, the pre-registered key word for the relevant user is obtained from the user registered short message address database 200.

In step 406, the obtained pre-registered key word from the database is compared to the key word contained in the received short message reply. If a match is not found, the security login notification procedure is completed and full access to the on-line account is permitted unfettered. However, if a match is found (indicating a desire of the user to lock-down their on-line account), the account lock down module 210 is activated to lock-down the on-line account from access by the user.

In yet another embodiment, a short message login notification may be sent to the pre-registered user after each login attempt. Thus, if the would-be hacker isn't successful on their first attempt, a registered user would have an even greater chance of locking down their on-line account before the hacker succeeds.

Quick notification to an account holder of an on-line account being accessed (i.e., a successful login) reduces the amount of time an unauthorized intruder has to damage or otherwise misappropriate the online account.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an on-line account server 100 or associated hardware is loaded with a login module 112 that handles login from a user (whether an authorized user or not).

Upon a successful login, or after each login attempt, a short message login notifier module 110 obtains the registered SM address from a suitable user registered short message address database 200, and formulates and transmits an appropriate short message login notification to the registered address of the user.

Thus, preferably each successful login results in the generation of a short message login notification to the registered account holder's short message address (as registered when the on-line account was initialized). If in fact it is not the proper account holder that is making the login attempt(s), an account lock down module 210 springs into action with a simple short message reply to the received short message login notification.

To ensure that lock-down of the on-line account happens only upon a necessary situation, the registration of the on-line user may include a key word that would permit the immediate lock-down of the on-line account. Upon receipt of a reply short message in reply to the short message login notification of a login to the on-line account, if the pre-registered lock-down key word is correct the on-line account would be locked down to prevent the unauthorized intruder/hacker from doing any additional damage to the user's on-line account.

In variations, a reply to the short-message may be required before allowing the login to proceed. Alternatively, limited functionality may be permitted in the on-line account without the reply message, with full functionality being permitted once a reply short message has been received and reported to the short message notifier 110 and/or account lock down module 210.

Thus, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, in association with an on-line account, a successful login generates a short-message login notification to a pre-registered user's short message address (phone number) indicating that a login to their on-line account has been attempted or accomplished. Preferably the short message login notification includes identification of the on-line account, and any other information desired by either the system operator and/or the user via pre-configuration of their on-line account.

Other variations of the principles of the present invention include: (1) the on-line account accepts the login, but with limited functionality until a ‘key word’ short message reply is received; and (2) the on-line account waits for a short message reply to the short-message login notification allowing the login sequence to be completed.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, if the on-line account holder is not expecting a login, a quick ‘key word’ short message reply to the received short-message login notification causes the on-line account lock-down module 210 to force an immediate lock-down of the on-line account, locking out the unauthorized intruder (as well as the authorized user). The on-line account may be re-established by the provider upon suitable re-authorization.

The present invention provides extremely high security, e.g., high security access to buildings, etc., where the subject must have both a ‘key card’ and an ‘access code’ (or finger print, retinal pattern). It also provides a ‘doogle’ plugged into an access port of a computer to run a selected application.

The present invention has particular applicability to, e.g., on-line gaming applications, and/or on-line accounting applications, etc.

While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A login module for an on-line server, comprising: a user/password authenticator to receive a user/password request including a user ID and a password, to authenticate access to an on-line account associated with the on-line server; a short message login notifier to generate a short message login notification message informing a user of receipt of said user/password request; and a short message router to transmit said short message login notification message to a pre-registered short message address via a short message servicing center (SMSC).
 2. The login module for an on-line server according to claim 1, further comprising: an account lock-down module to lock-down said on-line account upon receipt of an appropriate short message reply to said short message login notification.
 3. The login module for an on-line server according to claim 2, wherein: said short message reply is authenticated when if its send address matches said pre-registered short message address.
 4. The login module for an on-line server according to claim 2, further comprising: matching a key word received in said short message reply to a pre-registered key word associated with said on-line account, said match authenticating said short message reply to cause a lock-down of said on-line account.
 5. Login apparatus for an on-line server, comprising: user/password authentication means to receive a user/password request including a user ID and a password, and to authenticate access to an on-line account associated with the on-line server; short message login notifier means to generate a short message login notification message informing a user of receipt of said user/password request; and short message routing means to transmit said short message login notification message to a pre-registered short message address via a short message servicing center (SMSC).
 6. The login apparatus for an on-line server according to claim 5, further comprising: account lock-down means to lock-down said on-line account upon receipt of an appropriate short message reply to said short message login notification.
 7. The login apparatus for an on-line server according to claim 6, wherein: said account lock-down means authenticates said short message reply if its send address matches said pre-registered short message address.
 8. The login apparatus for an on-line server according to claim 6, further comprising: means for matching a key word received in said short message reply to a pre-registered key word associated with said on-line account, said match initiating said account lock-down means to cause a lock-down of said on-line account. 